Ball point pen



Aug. 12, 1958 B. D. ASTON 2,846,977

' BALL POINT PEN Filed May 18, 1954 i I 7' 25 l I|` fi; 38 fb .u y i f gg :ge 42 s- :is

:5 3o :ii lig 4/ lg |5 3o INVENToR.' i BRUNO D. ASTON 22 vFlG. 2 f,

ATTORNEY United States Patent BALL POINT PEN Bruno D. Aston, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application May 18, 1954, Serial No. 430,703

5 Claims. (Cl. 1Z0-42.4)

The present invention relates to writing pens, more particularly to writing pens of the ball point type.

Ball point pens as heretofore known require as writing uid a special non-corrosive ink. This ink is stored in a cartridge shaped fillerexchangeably fitted inv the barrel ofthe penl in communication with the writing point thereof. The capacity of such ller'is rather limited. As a result, Vthe filler must be rather. frequently replaced, especially when the pen is often used'. Such replacement is troublesome and also quite expensive. The necessity of procuring a ller designed for t-he pen in question, has been found to -be quite a deterrent from the useof ball point pens.

f Accordingly, one of the objects ofthe present invention is to. provide anovel and improved ball point pen design which permits filling of the pen with standard ink Without impairing the writing quality and the useful life of the pen and completely eliminatesthel necessity of usinga ller.

Another object of the invention is .to provide anovel and improved ball point pen,the ink storing capacity of which is much greater than that of ball point pens of comparable size using a cartridge filler.

' Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved ball point pen Which can be lled with standard writing ink in the manner of a conventional fountain pen.

vA further object of theinvention is to provide a vnovel and improved ball point pen design which assures an immediate readiness for writing, irrespectively how long the pen has not been used and in what position it has Y been kept during the period of non-use.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved ball point pen design which permits use of extremely hard, highly wear resistant material for the ball and the parts in engagementftherewith and to employ precision tolerances without unduly -increasing the manufacturing' costs' of the pen thereby greatly increasing the useful life of the pen and generally improving the writing properties of the pen.

, A'more specific object of the invention is to provide a'v novel and improved ball point pen design the writing ink for which canbe stored in and fed to the ball point from anl ink sack similar to the sack used in a conventional fountain pen and which can be filled by dipping the ball point end of the pen in ink and a pumping action in a manner similar to the filling operation of a conventional fountain pen. As such ink sack may occupy most of the barrel of the pen, the inkcarrying capacity of a pen according' to the invention and hence the writing capacity of such pen is 'obviously muchV greater than that of a conventional ball point pen employing a cartridge filler. The design of the invention affords the further advantage that the necessity of procuring a filler ofthe correct type and inserting the filler lin the pen, which operation requires a certain not always available mechanical skill, areavoided.

" -Other and further objects, features and advantages of ICC Fig. 3A is a fragmentary enlarged `sectional view of the tip of the pen indicated in Fig. 3 by a section line 3A-3A.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4`-'4 ofy'Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view partly in section of the pen part carrying the writing tip, and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary View of a modiication'of the part of the pen shown in Fig. 5.

Referring now to the figures in detail,l the ball/point pen according to the invention comprises la writing tip generally designated by 10, a tip carrier generally designated by 11, an ink sack generally designated by 12, a barrel generally designated by 13 and a cap generally designated by 14. Writing tip 10 which can best be seen in Figs. 3 and 3A comprises an open ended metal sleeve 15 which is tapered at its forward end 15 to receive and retain a ball 16. The diameter of the ball is slightly greater than the inner diameter of sleeve end 15 so that the ball is retained in the sleeve as can best be seen in the enlarged detail Fig. 3A. The ball is made of a material capable of withstanding for a long period of service the wear and tear experienced by the writing operation and the corrosive effect of the ink. A hard, wear resistant alloy such-as carbide or a precious metal alloy, or a jewel is suitable for the purpose. The end of the sleeve opposite to the ball carrying end thereof is internally threaded.

l A closure member 17 is screwed into the threadedrsleeve end and is provided for this purpose with a screw slot 43. This closure member is formed with a slim post 17 which retains ball 16 in the proper writing position'while at the same time permitting rotation of the ball. The cylindrical wall of sleeve 15 is provided with one or more apertures 13 leading into the interior of the ywriting tip, four apertures being shown.

Sleeve 15 and closure member 17 or only thetipped end 17" thereof are also made of a hard highly wear and corrosion resistant alloy or similar material. The assemblage of tip 10 by simply dropping the ball into the open end of sleeve 15 andthen seating it therein by closure member 17 permits a convenient machining of the tip to precision tolerances. The heretofore' known designs in which the ball is retained by coining,'wedging or spinning operations do not permit the use of high quality materials for the ball and the associatedparts and also not the ilse of precision tolerances, atleast not without entailing prohibitive manufacturing costs.

The writing tip is frictionally heldin tip carrier 11, or more specifically in an inner sleeve 20 thereof. This sleeve which is preferably made of a suitable plastic, s of generally conical shape. The forward end 20 of the sleeve engages the writing tip with a friction t so that the ball carrying end of the tip protrudes from the sleeve and the apertured part of the tip extends into the interior of sleeve 20. The wide rear end of the sleeve is' provided with an external thread 21 and screwed into the correspondingly threaded open end of barrel 13.' The other end of the barrel which is preferably m'ade of* a-suitableplastic is closed, except `for a vent hole'22.

The inner sleeve 20 of tip carrier 11 is encompassed by an outer sleeve 25, preferably made of metal. The forward end 25 of sleeve 25 overlies the forward end 20 of sleeve 20 and closely encircles writing tip 16 as can clearly be seen in Fig. 3. The rear end of sleeve 25 rests against a shoulder 26 formed on sleeve 20. This shoulder also serves as a friction ring for retaining cap 14 on the barrel. Sleeve 25 is held on sleeve 20 by a tight fit.

The sack 12 of the pen is shown as a pliable sack made of a suitable plastic or rubber material. The open end of the sack is tted upon an extension 20 of sleeve 20 so that the interior of the sack is in direct communication with the interior of sleeve 20. A protective metal sleeve 30 is tted between the sack and barrel 13. Sleeve 30 has an opening 30' to permit partial compression of the sack for the purpose of producing a partial vacuum therein.

As is well known, conventional fountain pens are filled by creating a partial vacuum in the ink sack thereof. This vacuum serves to suck ink into the sack from a supply of ink into which the forward part of the fountain pen is dipped. Various pumping means are known for fountain pens to produce the required partial vacuum. The same principle is employed to ll the ink sack of a ball point pen of the invention. Accordingly, the various type of pumping means that are suitable and known for fountain pens may also be used for filling the ink sack 12. A detailed description of such pumping means is hence not essential for the understanding of the invenn'on and the opening 30 in sleeve 30 merely serves to indicate the presence of pumping me-ans.

As is apparent from the previous description, the proper functioning of the pen according to the invention requires a communication between the outside and the interior of sleeve 20 and sack 12 respectively to permit during the writing operation the ingress of air to replace the ink consumed in the sack and during the filling operation the egress of air and the ingress of ink. Obviously, such communication must be on one hand sufliciently narrow to prevent the escape of ink from the pen and on the other hand sufliciently wide to permit a ow of air in the respective direction. The provision of a communication satisfying the aforesaid demand presents considerable difculties since for reasons of economy the extent of possible precision work is limited and in practice the sealing area between the tip and the interior of sleeve 20 is a limited one. As was previously explained, the closure between the interior of sleeve 20 and writing tip 10 is effected by the frictional engagement of sleeve end 20 with the ball 15 of tip 10. The axial length of this friction fit is in practice a very short one. According to the invention the problem posed by the aforesaid communication is solved by interposing between the forward end of sleeves 20 and 25 and the interior of sleeve 2t) a narrow continuous tortuous or circuitous path of considerable length, that is, of a length greatly in excess of the direct distance between the forward end of the sleeves and the interior of sleeve 20.

The conguration of this extended path may take various shapes. According to one of the illustrated exempliiications of the invention, several narrow circumferential grooves 35 are formed in the outside wall of sleeve 20. These grooves are interconnected by longitudinal grooves 36. The last of the circumferential grooves, as seen from the forward end of the sleeves, issues into a bore or channel 37 leading into the interior of sleeve 20. As a result, a continuous circuitous path is formed leading from the forward end 20 of sleeve 20 into the interior of sleeve 20. This path is continued by longitudinal grooves 38 formed in the forward end 25 of sleeve 25 as can clearly be seen in Figs. 3 and 4. The number of circumferential grooves 35 and longitudinal grooves 36 provided in sleeve 20 and longitudinal grooves 38 provided in sleeve 25 are selected in accordance with the size of the pen, considerations of manufacture and other considerations. The width of the grooves is determined by calculation and experiment and should be such that the individual grooves are narrow enough to act as capillaries.

As previously stated, the circuitous path formed in the previously described figures by the circumferential and the longitudinal grooves may take various shapes. According to the modification of Fig. 6, the path is formed in the outer surface of a sleeve 39 by capillary spiral grooves 40.

The cap 14 of the pen is of conventional design. The cap 41 proper its upon barrel 13 with a friction fit and is further frictionally retained by friction ring 26. The cap is provided with a spring clip 42 for retaining the cap in the pocket of a wearer of the pen.

The ball point pen as hereinbefore described, functions as follows:

The writing operation Let it be assumed that the pen is lled with ink, that is, ink is contained in sack 12 and in the interior of sleeve Ink will also ow through apertures 18 into writing tip 10 so that ink is supplied to ball 16. Some ink may penetrate through bore 37 into grooves 35 and 36 but due to the capillary action of these grooves and the resulting pressure difference between the interior of the pen and the atmosphere none of the ink will ow out through grooves 38 in sleeve 25. As ink is consumed during the writing operation, air can and will percolate through grooves 38, 36, 35 and bore 37 into the sack thereby replacing the consumed ink so that no partial vacuum is formed within the sack.

It will be evident that the writing pressure experienced by ball 16 is transmitted to the tipped end 17". As both the ball and tip 17 are made of hard, highly wear resistant material the ball can freely rotate on tip 17 and this tip is capable of absorbing all the pressure and abuse to which it is subjected during the writing. The result is a writing tip of a practically unlimited lifetime.

Ball point pens, at least when carried by a man, are usually kept in a pocket of the wearer with the writing tip facing upwardly. As a result, the ink which has entered grooves 35 and 36 during a writing operation gradually returns into the sack so that the grooves dry out, at least partly. Similarly, with ball point pens of conventional design, a dried out area is formed between the ball and the supply of ink in the filler, and this is the reason why ball point pens of conventional design do not start to write immediately after a period of non-use but only after fresh ink has reached the ball. The pen design according to the invention completely eliminates such annoying delay. As appears from the previous description, a supply of ink always remains within writing tip 10, irrespectively of the position in which the pen is held when not in use. This affords the advantage that a supply of ink is immediately available for a writing operation which is amply sufficient to provide the necessary writing ink until fresh ink enters the tip from the sack. Consequently, there is no delay in the beginning of the writing operation with the pen according to the invention.

The filling operation The pen is filled by dipping the front part of the pen into a supply of ink so that the forward ends of sleeves 20 and 25 are submerged and by creating a partial vacuum within the pen. Such vacuum may be created by partly compressing or squeezing sack 12 thereby forcing air out of the pen through the grooves and then releasing the sack for return into its expanded position. The resulting partial vacuum will suck ink into the sack through grooves 38, 36, 35 and bore 37 in the same manner as ink is sucked into a conventional fountain pen.

While the invention has been described in detail with respect to certain now preferred examples and embodiments of the invention it will be understood by those skilled in the art after understanding the invention, that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is intended, therefore, to cover all such changes and modifications in the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A ball point pen comprising, in combination, a barrel, a ball, a closed hollow ball mounting tip defining a ball carrier, one end of said ball carrier being closed at one rear end and having a forwardly tapered interior wall portion at the opposite end thereof defining an opening, said wall having at least one aperture therein, a support within said carrier positioning said ball within the open end thereof, a minor part of the surface of said ball extending outwardly of said carrier and a major part of said ball being freely spaced from the surface of said interior wall portion in direct communication with the interior of said carrier, a sack for writing uid at one end disposed within said barrel, an open ended inner sleeve supporting said ball carrier at one end in a position in which said ball protrudes outwardly from said sleeve and the apertured part of said carrier extending into said sleeve, the other end of said sleeve being secured to the barrel in alignment with the open end of said uid sack for feeding fluid from said sack into said aperture in said wall of said ball carrier and to the ball, and an outer sleeve closely fitted upon said inner sleeve, said inner sleeve having an aperture through its Wall leading into the interior of said sleeve, the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve forming therebetween a narrow continuous circuitous path leading from the sleeve ends adjacent to the protruding ball carrying end of said carrier to said aperture in said inner sleeve, the end of said outer sleeve and the carrier defining therebetween circumferentially elongated slots leading into said path to permit air to percolate into said sack during a Writing operation and to permit fluid to be sucked into said sack and air to escape therefrom upon creating a partial vacuum therein during a filling operation, the outer wall of the inner sleeve and the inner wall of the outer sleeve dening therebetween a groove to form said circuitous path for the egress of air from an ingress of air into the sack and the ingress of writing fluid into the sack, the remaining Wall portions of the sleeves being in close contact one with the other so as substantially to limit the ow of air and uid to said path.

2. A ball point pen according to claim 1, wherein the said grooves are in form of circumferential grooves and longitudinal grooves interconnecting each two adjacent circumferential grooves to form said continuous circui' tous path.

3. A ball point pen according to claim 1, wherein the said grooves are in form of a spiral groove.

4. A ball point pen comprising, in combination, a barrel, a ball, a closed hollow ball mounting tip defining a ball carrier, one end of said ball carrier being closed at one rear end and having a forwardly tapered interior Wall portion at the opposite end thereof defining an opening, said wall having at least one aperture therein, a support within said carrier positioning said ball within the open end thereof, a minor part of the surface of said ball extending outwardly of said carrier and a major part of said ball being freely spaced from the surface of said interior wall portion in direct communication with the interior of said carrier, a sack for writing fluid at one end disposed Within said barrel, an open ended inner sleeve supporting said ball carrier at one end in a position in which said ball protmdes outwardly from said sleeve and the apertured part of said carrier extending into said sleeve, the other end of said sleeve being secured to the barrel in alignment with the open end of said fluid sack for feeding fluid from said sack into said ball carrier and to the ball of said aperture in said wall, and an outer sleeve closely fitted upon said inner sleeve, said inner sleeve having an aperture through its wall leading into the interior of said sleeve, the outer sleeve and the inner sleeve forming therebetween a narrow continuous circuitous path leading from the sleeve ends adjacent to the protruding ball carrying end of said carrier to said aperture in said inner sleeve, the end of said outer sleeve and the carrier defining therebetween circumferentially elongated slots leading into said path to permit air to percolate into said sack during a writing operation and to permit fluid to be sucked into said sack and air to escape therefrom upon creating a partial vacuum therein during a iilling operation, the outer wall of the inner sleeve being grooved to form said circuitous path for the egress of air from the sack and the ingress of air and Writing iluid into the sack, the inner Wall of the outer sleeve being grooved at the sleeve and from which said writing tip protrudes so as to provide a conduit leading into the grooving of the inner sleeve.

5. A ball point pen according to claim 4, wherein the said writing tip is held in the inner sleeve with a friction fit and the respective end of the outer sleeve overlies the adjacent end of the inner sleeve and closely encircles the writing tip.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNTTED STATES PATENTS 2,208,588 Laforest July 23, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 435,349 Italy Sept. 11, 1947 498,040 Belgium Ian. 2, 1951 465,993 Italy Oct. 8, 1951 173,131 Germany Nov. 25, 1952 1,032,312 France Mar. 25, 1953 288,459 Switzerland May 16, 1953 692,212 Great Britain June 3, 1953 

